Cross-bar switch



J. N. REYNOLDS AND F. HEARN.

CROSS BAR SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED APR.11. 1917.

Patented May 4, 1920.

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principles of the invention.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN NEWBERRY REYNOLDS, OF GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT, AND JOHN F. HEARN, OF PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS T0 WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCOR- PORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CROSS-BAR SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1920.

Application filed April 11, 1917. Serial No.'161,165.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JonN NEWBERRY RnYNoLns and JOHN F. H EARN, citizens of the United States, residing at Greenwich, in the county of F airfield and State of Connecticut, and at Passaic, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, respectivel have invented certain-new and useful mprovements in Gross-Bar Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

.This invention relates to automatic switches for use in telephone exchange systems, and has for its object the provision of a new and improved switch of the cross-bar type.

In former switches of this type various expedients have been employed to give the properly combined upward and lateral movement to the contacts of the engaging bars to cause them to engage the contacts of the selected bars. This invention contemplates the substitution for these expedients of a novel method of mounting the engaging bars on the frame so that a simple longitudinal displacement of a bar will cause its contacts to engage those on another bar.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing shows a front elevation, with parts broken away, of a cross-bar switch embodying the Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a set of contacts on a line and a trunk bar.

The switch is in general similar to the one disclosed in the patent to John Newberry Reynolds, No. 1,306,124, of June 10, 1919, so no description. of the complete structure will be given herein. Details of construction in the present switch may preferably be similar to those in the above mentioned application when not otherwise described.

A row of trunk bars 1 is rotatably mounted in the usual manner in a frame. Each trunk bar is provided with a plurality of sets of contacts 3 projecting horizontally toward the line bars 4. The line bars 4 are slidably mounted in slots 5 and 6 in the bent over portions 7 and 8 of frame members 2 and 9. Each line bar 4 is provided with sets of contacts 10, arranged to engage selected trunk contacts 3 when the line bars 4 are operated. A line magnet 11 is provided to operate each line bar, the magnets 11 being mounted in a group on the frame plate 2 as shown. This method of mounting allows the line bars 4 to be closely spaced. An operating magnet 12 controls the setting of each trunk bar 1, by means of the engagement of its armature 13 with a lug 14 carried on the line bar. When a trunk is to be selected the energization of the magnet 12 causes a rotation of the trunk contacts 3 to the left, thus bringing them into position to be engaged. by the contacts on any line bar 4, which is moved longitudinally upon the energization of its magnet 11, due to the coming in of a call over its line. The trunk bar magnets 12, of which but one is shown, may be mounted on the plate 15, which is secured to frame members 2 and 9.

A spring 16 is attached at one end to a lug 17 on each line bar, and at the other end to a pin 18 fixed to the frame 9. When a line magnet 11 of an operated bar is released, the line bar 4 will be restored under the action of the spring 16. Incoming lines terminate in contacts 19, which are normally in a position corresponding to the set position of trunk terminals, so that they will always be engaged by the cooperating contacts 20 of a line bar when such bar is actuated. Thus connection is made from contacts 19 through contacts 20, conducting strips (not shown) and a set of contacts 10 to the trunk terminals 8 of a positioned trunk bar and thence to the outgoing trunk.

In brief. the operation of the switch is as follows. When an idle trunk is taken for use, another idle trunk is allotted, its setting magnet energized, and its terminals moved to the left so as to be in position to be engaged by the next calling line.. When a call comes in, the line magnet 11, individual to the calling line, is energized and, in pulling up its armature, gives a longitudinal displacement to the left to its line bar. This displacement causes contacts 20 to engage contacts 19, in which the calling line terminates, and contacts 10 to engage the terminals 3 of the trunk previously selected for use. The terminals 3 are also pushed a little farther to the left than they were in set position. A circuit is thereupon closed for the trip magnet (not shown) of the selected trunk bar and the bar is restored to normal position, thus moving its terminals to a position wherein they cannot be engaged by contacts of the next line bar to be operated.

only those terminals which have been cn-- gaged by a set of contacts 10 being held for use by the calling line. Upon the restoring of one trunk bar, another one is-immediately allotted for use. At the end of the call, the line magnet 11 decnergizes and allows the spring l6 to move the line bar 4 back into normal position. As a result of this movement, contacts 19 and 3 are disengaged from contacts 20 and 10 and the switch is in normal position.

The staggered arrangement of the trunk terminals 3, and the angular positioning of the bars 4 with relation to the bars 1, allows the engagement by contacts on the bars -1 of terminals on the bars 1 by a simple longitudinal displacement without rotation of the bars 4, and thus no complicated mountings or operating means for the line bars are necessary.

To make the various positions of line and trunk bars readily understandable, the line bar 4 is shown in the position which it takes during a conversation over its line, its contacts 2O engaging line terminals 19, and its contacts 10 engaging trunk terminals 3 of a selected bar 1. The remaining terminals of the bar 1 are in their normal position, because, as soon as the selected bar is seized, it is returned to its normal position, carrying with it all the terminals except the terminals in engagement with the line bar. The trunk bar 1 is in set position, ready to be selected by the next line bar, on the line of which a call may originate. The contacts 10 of a line bar, which is in use, do not obstruct the contacts of a subsequently set trunk bar, since each contact is displaced from its adjacent contact laterally as well as longitudinally of the line bar, as shown in Fig. 2, and the trunk terminals are made of unequal length to correspond with this.

arrangement of the line bar contacts.-

What is claimed is:

1. In a switch, a rotatable contact carrying bar, a second bar disposed transversely to said bar, contacts on said second bar, means for initially rotating said first bar to render its contacts selectable, and means for giving a simple longitudinal displacement to said second bar after rotation of the first bar to cause its contacts to engage the contacts carried on said rotatable bar.

2. Ina switch, a plurality of substantially parallel contact carrying bars, a set of bars disposed transversely to said first bars, a plurality of sets of contacts on each of said transverse bars, means for initially rotating said first bars to render their contacts selectable, and means for then giving a simple longitudinal displacement to any one of said transverse bars to cause a set of its contacts to engage a selected set of contacts on any one of said first mentioned bars.

3. In a switch, switch bars, vertically and horizontally separated contact sets on said switch bars, means for rotating one of said bars to render its contacts selectable, and means for moving another one of said bars diagonally with respect to the first bar to bring the contacts on said other bar into engagement with contacts on said first bar.

4. In a switch for telephone exchanges, a plurality of rotatable trunk bars, sets of trunk terminals of une ual length on said bars, a plurality of sli ably mounted line bars disposed transversely to said trunk bars, sets of contacts on said line bars, each contact of each set on said line bars being displaced laterally and longitudinally from the next adjacent contacts of the set, means for rotating a trunk bar to render its terminals selectable, and means for moving any of said line bars in a longitudinal direction only to cause a set of its contacts to engage a selected set of trunk terminals.

5. In a switch for tele hone exchanges, line bars, contacts on sai line bars, trunk bars, contacts on said trunk bars, means for initially rotating said trunk bars to render their contacts selectable, and means for then moving said line bars in a continuous straight line movement to bring the contacts thereon into engagement with the contacts on said trunk bars.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe ppprnames this 10th day of April, A. D.

JOHN NEWBERRY REYNOLDS. JOHN F. HEARN. 

